He'll Take It
by HesMines
Summary: Set circa season 2. NCIS isn't that big as an organisation in comparison to the rest of the alphabet. They were bound to run into each other eventually. Gibbs just didn't think she'd be mid-op with Mossad when they did.
1. Chapter 1

**So I've drifted back to my first love…. You'd think after this long I'd have run out of Jibbs material!**

 **As usual, I don't own a damn thing!**

 _-NCIS-_

Kate Todd had a bad feeling about this sting from the beginning.

They'd gotten the tip off from some low-level dealer that one of the vice teams had busted. He'd been trying to save his own ass. Spilling all the secrets he thought he knew.

That's how they'd ended up in a bar in Miami. About to stop a shipment of stolen arms entering circulation.

Or rather, how Gibbs and Tony ended up in a bar in Miami while she and McGee stayed outside in the surveillance van.

She knew Abby would have the covers solid. DiNozzo and a few agents from the local field office in their early thirties were over by the pool tables. Gibbs was posing as a buyer, sitting by the bar with his bourbon. There were at least three other potential buyers in the bar. Not that they had a clue who, or where, they were.

And of course, DiNozzo was chasing tail. _Of course_ he couldn't take his eyes off the woman singing in the corner. Her short blue dress split to mid-thigh acted like a homing beacon.

 _God, he's such a pig._ Kate couldn't help herself. She rolled her eyes when he broke away from the group as Blue Dress' set finished to ask her if he could buy her a drink.

Now that Tony was closer, Kate got a better look at the girl. She was tall. Solid. Olive skin and delicate features. But she had a glint in her eyes that suggested she could handle herself against men like DiNozzo. This girl was _so_ out of his league.

All in all, this wasn't an unusual situation. But she couldn't shake the feeling in her gut that something wasn't quite right.

They had five minutes until Gibbs was due to be called to the meet. Their intel told them it was happening in one of the upstairs rooms of the bar.

"DiNozzo, get back into position," Kate snapped into her headset when she checked her watch a few minutes later. Three minutes to go. He did love to play it close to the wire.

"Ah leave him alone," Gibbs muttered, hiding his words behind his tumbler, "Dressing rooms are upstairs."

Kate rolled her eyes again, looking to McGee for support but the younger agent only shrugged, "Of course that's his plan."

Tony was far too busy trying to guess the girl's accent - badly, and she hoped that his ignorance was a front - to remember that the dressing rooms were across from where they thought the meet was taking place.

" _One of these days, I'll stop being surprised when I see a marine with bourbon."_

Kate froze when she heard the feminine voice drift over Gibbs' mic. Glancing down at her watch, her stomach clenched. One minute to the meet. Gibbs needed to get rid of his admirer and quickly.

She could see why a section of the female population found him attractive. Hell, she had when they'd first met. In a your-friend's-hot-dad, kind of way. But his silver fox charm was the last thing they needed right now. Gibbs didn't look at his companion. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed forward as he downed the remainder of his glass. For real.

Kate and McGee could only see what was reflected in the mirror behind the bar. His companion was a redhead. _Of course_. She looked like she was about ten years younger than him - maybe thirty four, thirty five. Her hair was curled around her shoulders and collarbones, left bare by the emerald green halterneck. Whoever she was, she was fixing Gibbs with a warm smile and a knowing look.

For a moment, Kate swore that she saw pain in Gibbs' reflection. There there was nothing, like he had thrown up every wall they'd ever seen and then some. Whatever had flashed across his face was gone by the time his empty glass hit the counter.

He turned to look at the newcomer with a laugh, "Let me guess, your old man drinks scotch."

"What can I say, the Colonel taught me well." His companion leant on the bar next to him, nodding to the barman before returning to Gibbs with that smile.

The way they spoke...it was almost rehearsed. Like this wasn't the first time they'd said those words to each other. There was an inflection in the way they spoke, like there was an inside joke the others were oblivious to.

Kate and McGee's view tilted as Gibbs focused on her neck - it was too high to be her chest and too low to be her face. They couldn't see anything out of the ordinary - the thin straps of the halterneck and a delicate gold pendant.

Gibbs however, added lightly, "Nice necklace."

"Oh, this old thing," the woman smiled and touched it briefly, sentimentally. Her tone betraying her words, "It was a gift, a _lifetime_ ago."

McGee reached up to cover his mouthpiece and turned to look at Kate, "Have we just bumped into an ex-wife?"

Glancing back at the screen, Kate copied McGee's precaution before she responded, "I have no idea." Kate looked at her watch again before removing her hand from the mic, "Get rid of her Gibbs, we have less than thirty seconds."

"It's a little crowded in here," Gibbs mused, standing from his stool and grabbing his jacket. Kate wasn't sure where he was going with this, maybe he was going to offer her his chair? She didn't expect the words that came next, "Fancy a smoke?"

"Gibbs, what the hell? _Where_ are you going? You don't even smoke!" Kate snapped as Gibbs offered his arm to his companion and headed towards the smoking area. "DiNozzo, do something!"

At least this time, DiNozzo took her order seriously. He pulled out his cell, looked at it and began making his excuses. Blue Dress fixed him with a knowing smile - as if she saw right through him - but both McGee and Kate missed the way her eyes drifted to the exit Gibbs had taken before she leaned in to give DiNozzo a kiss on the cheek.

Kate was too busy shouting at Gibbs to notice anything. "Gibbs, talk to me. You haven't used the duress or abort words, so what the _hell_ is going on." Covering the mouthpiece again, she turned to McGee, "Find out who she is."

"Already searching." McGee's fingers were flying over his keyboard, and he barely looked up to answer Kate. After a few seconds, his laptop dinged. McGee frowned, looking back to the screen, "Boss? Do you know her? All I'm getting is the name Lisa O'Malley and an alert to contact NCIS."

Gibbs and Lisa were in the courtyard now. Despite the nature of the bar being rather questionable, the location was prime real-estate. It was nestled away in a corner off the main strip. The courtyard was paved and edged by planters with various bushes. Soft purple lights shone down from the side of the building. It was almost romantic.

Gibbs reached into his jacket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes as they headed to a table in the far corner. Kate frowned. This was new. He offered one to the redhead, who readily accepted and leaned in for a light. Then he lit one himself.

Pulling out a seat, he sat as he casually observed, "I thought we quit."

Lisa smiled as she joined him at the table. "Yet you still carry a packet. Can't imagine you need makeshift detonators much now you're stateside."

"Sometimes you just need an excuse for fresh air." Gibbs shrugged easily, "Your big brother know you're back stateside?"

When Lisa didn't respond, Gibbs shifted so that his arm was draped over her chair and his lips were brushing her ear. "I'll take that as a no."

All Kate and McGee could see from his camera was red hair. Tony's vantage point at the doorway was slightly more useful. It looked like Gibbs was making a move on the redhead. The way she leaned into his embrace suggested familiarity. Kate's frown deepened. It was starting to look like they'd stumbled into someone else's operation.

But as for how this woman knew Gibbs...all bets were off. The talk about detonators was enough to tell them it was more than classified.

"He's avoiding my emails." Lisa studied the cigarette in her hand - she hadn't touched it since the first draw. Neither had Gibbs. "You should know he only cares when there's something in it for him."

"Should there be?" Gibbs murmured running his hand along her arm, still too close to be considered professional, "Because I have a meeting I should be getting to and I would hate to have him on my ass."

"This isn't a meeting it's a credit check." Lisa let out a hollow laugh as she shook her head minutely, "And I've already told them you're good for it."

Back in the van, Kate let out a sigh of relief. If nothing else, this outing hadn't been a complete waste. Now she had a bigger task at hand. Why were they allowed to run this sting when there was clearly someone from their side under.

"And when do I get my merchandise?" Gibbs reached forward to stub out the cigarette in his hand, signalling the conversation was over. Through Tony's camera, they could see he was slow to remove his arm.

Lisa pushed back and stood, opening her clutch to rummage through it. "You need to make good on that promise you made in Albuquerque."

This time it was McGee who broke the silence on the comm. "Uh Boss, whoever she is, she knows the abort word. Do we take it?"

Gibbs didn't react to the sudden voice in his ear. If they'd surprised him or broken the moment there was no outward sign. Instead, he rose from the chair and stood face to face with Lisa. He paused for a moment, tapping the packet of cigarettes against his empty hand, "If I remember correctly, what I said in Albuquerque required you as an active participant."

Kate jumped into action when she heard the command. "All units stand down! I repeat all units stand down. Begin pull out procedure alpha and watch out for tails."

Chatter began over the line as the agents still by the pool table began to chat about calling a cab after this game.

Gibbs and Lisa began walking back towards the bar. When they were a few steps away from the doorway, Lisa stopped searching her bag and pulled out a hotel key card. She held the card out in front of Gibbs as she stopped, causing him to walk straight into her hand.

Reaching up to grab the card, Gibbs didn't look anywhere near Tony who was now less than a foot away. Lisa reached into Gibbs' jacket and pulled out his cell. She let out a chuckle when she saw it and shook her head, possibly the first genuine move they had seen from her all night. She pressed a few buttons then began typing away before she handed the cell back to Gibbs. "Meet me there in an hour. But no security this time."

Lisa threw a smile at DiNozzo that had him turning to go back into the bar. Once they didn't have a physical audience, she turned back to Gibbs and smiled sadly.

Reaching up, she wound one arm around his neck while the other circled around his wrist. He took the hint and moved to rest his hands on her waist. They looked the part, but with her subtle movement, she'd covered the wire. Now they were truly alone.

Gibbs could already hear Kate blowing up in his ear but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Lisa - it seemed that was what she was going by now - leaned in. This time it was her lips brushing his ear. Pure torture. "I wish I'd kept my coat for nights like this."


	2. Chapter 2

**I only have five chapters planned for this. MAYBE an epilogue.**

 **Better to ease myself in gently!**

 _-NCIS-_

Gibbs had found the hotel easily enough and let himself into her room.

He'd taken his time. He'd made sure his team knew not to follow him. He'd ditched his wire and earbud. Made sure he didn't have a tail.

Thought about calling Ducky for advice.

Talked himself _out_ of calling Ducky for advice.

Whatever was going on here, he needed to figure it out for himself. And that meant spending as little time as possible in a room that smelled like _her_.

By the time he let himself into her hotel room, it was five minutes until they were due to meet. He wasn't sure what the appropriate way to pass time was, so he decided to go his usual route. Be the bastard. Sit there and act like he didn't care.

He headed straight for the mini bar and wasn't surprised to see a stash of bourbon there. He grabbed two glasses and headed to the sofa in the middle of the room before pouring the measures.

He didn't know about her, but he needed some Dutch courage for this meeting.

Gibbs let his gaze roam over the room. The bed in front of him was untouched. Untouched or freshly made. The wardrobe was open, letting him glimpse a few cocktail dresses and pairs of jeans. And the shoes.

Of course she'd packed six pairs of heels.

It seemed like some things never changed.

Glancing down at his watch, Gibbs weighed up snooping against waiting. Patience wasn't his strong suit but he didn't have time to search. The last thing he needed was her walking in as he rummaged through her underwear.

It had been almost two years since he'd seen her. He'd been providing security at some conference and she'd been a keynote speaker. He doubted she knew he was there.

That he'd watched her presentation. Taken some of her recommendations home with him. That he'd been proud of her. That it had been the first time in just over three years that he'd thought of her and felt something other than hurt or anger. Or worried that she was going to die trying to prove herself to her dead father.

Gibbs heard footsteps in the hall outside, and forced himself to sit back on the sofa looking relaxed. She didn't need to know how much of a hold she still had on him.

The lock clicked, and then she was there.

She looked irritated. Odds are it was at him. This he could deal with. He did always like ruffling her feathers. Settling back into the cushions, he let a smirk settle across his features.

She didn't even look at him as she threw her purse onto the sofa and lifted the glass from his hands to take a large mouthful.

Gibbs opened his mouth to protest when she raised a hand to cut him off. "Don't. Say. A. Word."

She downed the rest of the glass before she looked back to him and moved to perch on the edge of the coffee table. "I'm not you Jethro. Running into you was not how I expected tonight to go."

" _You_ left me, Jen." He didn't have the energy to be defensive. He expected her to gloss over their history. Pretend they'd never happened. He didn't expect her to admit…whatever she just admitted. It seemed like his action plan was already by the wayside. "Although you seem to have done pretty well for yourself, _Director_."

Jenny rolled her eyes and corrected him, still refusing to meet his gaze. "Regional Operations Lead."

Gibbs scoffed, leaning forward and tilting his head so that she had no option but to look at him. This time she didn't fight it. Although he could almost catch a glimpse of resignation hidden in her eyes.

He'd expected her armour. He'd expected 'The Bitch'. The reputation she'd cultivated for herself commanded a lot of respect - but there were a few horror stories from men who'd taken one too many liberties.

The woman sitting in front of him was familiar. More familiar than the one who'd presented that keynote speech or the one he read internal memos about. More familiar than the one who left him. This was the Jenny he'd trained. The Jenny he counted as a friend. The one he'd fallen hard for.

There was a little tension in the air, but nothing like he'd expected. This was easy. This was comfortable. This was the grown up conversation they couldn't have back in Paris.

He didn't know where this was going, but he didn't plan on breaking the spell by bulldozing in. Instead, he tried for honest. His body language was soft, but his words left no room for argument. "If you were leading Ops in the US, you'd be an assistant director."

"Well Vance got the LA job…" Jenny half-heartedly lifted a shoulder, almost dismissing his comparison.

Gibbs knew that. He'd been annoyed when the announcement was made. In hindsight, he knows why she left him in Paris. She had ambitions. And coming home with him didn't gel with those. Especially not when he was so closed off. So he'd kept an eye on her career. Threw his weight behind her when necessary - whether she knew it or not. When the whispers of an opening in LA had started to circle, his first port of call had been Tom Morrow to drop a few well placed comments about what the role needed. How he didn't think the other candidates were a good fit.

Gibbs had been around long enough that his words carried weight. Progression hadn't been his goal. But it was hers. And if he could help…. "You deserved that job."

Whatever he'd expected from this conversation, discussing a job she didn't get wasn't it.

Maybe she thought if she'd been more successful when they met again, it would justify leaving. She'd have the resume she wanted. She could say she'd achieved what she wanted to. That it had been worth it.

Jenny shook her head, giving him a look he couldn't decipher, "I appreciate the vote of confidence...Pity the committee didn't agree."

They fell into easy silence. Jenny studied the glass in her hands. Gibbs studied her.

She'd lost weight - her collarbones didn't stick out this much before. The make up did a good job, but he saw the bags under her eyes. The ends of her hair were fuzzy, like she'd missed her last trim. There was an almost-faded bruise peeking out from the hem of her dress, and a matching one around her ankle. She obviously thought she could forgo the cover up for tonight. No one would notice in a bar. It was only under the harsh light of the hotel room that her battle scars started to appear.

He didn't want to think about the others he knew were there. Her file gave enough detail about that Op gone wrong in Syria.

Realising that she still had the patience to wait him out, Gibbs decided to save them both some time, "You're a long way from Cairo."

Jenny froze for a moment. A movement he'd have missed if he hadn't been watching for it. "That's meant to be classified."

"You tracking or selling?" Gibbs wasn't sure which answer he hoped for. Instead, he fixed her with a softer version of the glare. The one Decker used to swear down dead meant she was the favourite.

Jenny placed her glass on the table before she gripped the edge and leant forward. Another few inches and her lips would be on his. It took all his self control to keep from glancing down at them. Opening the invitation.

"Bit of both. One of my aliases from my time with Mossad was reawakened. So instead of running black ops against a backdrop of potential civil war...I'm here looking pretty for a few weeks of deep cover." Jenny was all business now. Her expression was blank. Daring him to challenge her right to lead here.

Instead, Gibbs just nodded. "Tom doesn't know you're stateside?"

She shook her head slowly, weighing her next words. She'd confirmed as much in the bar. Gibbs knew Tom gave her a long leash when she was on assignment with the Israelis. Part of him thinks he wants her to hang herself with it. "He knows I'm working with Mossad again."

"What's the end game?" Gibbs' next words surprised even himself. He'd been considering calling Tom. Kicking up hell because he was failing to protect his assets. But that wouldn't help. Jenny was in a constant battle to prove herself. Running his mouth would make it look like she couldn't handle it. He might as well help her than hinder her. "I'm here now. Can't really drop out of the deal after you green lighted me. What do you need me to do?"

The test would be keeping his team quiet.

DiNozzo had probably already called Ducky.

"We're waiting on contact from a Hamas cell. A big one. We'll play this like Louisiana but in reverse." Jenny smiled at that - challenging him. Hoping he remembered their first undercover gig. Before Paris was even a blip on the radar.

And Gibbs was never one to refuse an olive branch. Not from her.

Ducky would call him a masochist.

Ducky would tell him to be open with her. To make the most of this opportunity.

Ducky was probably right.

 _-NCIS-_

After another round of bourbon, Jenny had handed him a burner cell to contact his team and a room key for the adjoining room. Her partner had the room on her other side. They'd meet when she got back from her shift at the bar.

The men they were dealing with were local. They had their own homes and families and businesses outside of the arms trade. Much like the men they'd hunted in Paris, these bad guys went home to play the perfect family man. This seems to anger Jenny, more now than it did back then.

And he's still too scared to ask her about it.

DiNozzo had expressed his reservations, but the way he adapted was the reason Gibbs kept him as his second. His boy might be a skirt-chaser, but he can buckle down when required.

Gibbs just hoped Kate would follow DiNozzo's lead.


	3. Chapter 3

**A rather short chapter because this section didn't mesh with the others.**

 _-NCIS-_

"You can't tell me you're okay with this." Kate growled as she sat at the plastic table in their rented apartment. It was a little after 1am when they'd returned. The plan was to sleep and be back in the Miami field office for 9am. Kate acknowledged the need for sleep, but she also needed to deconstruct the nights events. How things had gone so wrong. She looked up at her teammates - DiNozzo grabbing a beer from the fridge and throwing McGee a can of Coke - but couldn't find any answers. "We're completely in the dark."

"I don't have to like it Kate," Tony rolled his eyes as he joined her at the table, his irritation clear. "We walked into someone else's Op. That Op is incredibly classified. So we do our jobs and don't blow her cover."

"But we don't even know who she is!" Kate pressed, wondering how her usually insubordinate senior field agent could take this change of direction so easily.

"You don't know who who is?" A voice from the hallway made them jump, only relaxing when Ducky stepped into the light.

"Kate didn't mean to wake you Ducky." Tony shot a glare at Kate before turning back to the older man, "Tonight has been a complete waste. It seems that we stumbled into some other Op, we're now playing the support role, and _someone_ is unhappy about that."

"I just want to know who I'm working from." Kate muttered, hiding the rest of her words in her coffee cup. Tony ignored them - they did not sound friendly.

"Gibbs ran into a redhead in the bar. Seems like she's one of ours. He won't release the information on her identity or the Op. Says they're need to know." McGee looked between his teammates before speaking. It was obvious that Tony wanted to put this to rest. It was also obvious that Kate wouldn't let it go. Maybe Ducky would be able to shed some light...or at least diffuse the situation.

No one expected Ducky to stiffen at McGee's description. Even Tony leaned forward as Ducky joined them. "Redhead, thirty five, polished DC accent?"

Kate nodded in affirmative as she reached into her backpack for the picture McGee had printed out earlier. She pushed the picture across the table without a word. She didn't want to influence whatever Ducky was about to say.

Ducky left out a sigh as he lifted the picture. He was silent for a moment as he studied her. She was too skinny. He attributed the pale to being faced with Jethro after so long. They'd kept in contact since she relocated to London. And then to Tel Aviv. And now Egypt. She'd been quiet for a few weeks. Now he knew why.

"Jennifer Sheppard. She was Gibbs' probationary agent back in ninety-eight." Ducky answered without looking up, letting them digest the information before he opened the conversation, "She took a promotion in Europe in two thousand, and for the last eighteen months has been Regional Operations Lead for Africa. What name is she going by?"

"Lisa O'Malley." DiNozzo answered, studying Ducky carefully. There was definitely more to Gibbs' relationship with the redhead than anyone was letting on.

But Tony had seen the look that crossed his boss' face when she gave him the hotel key. Hope. Gibbs had never looked like that in the years Tony had known him.

This Jenny Shepard was more than just another ex. And like hell was Tony ending up in the crossfire with _that_.

Ducky nodded, handing the paper back to Kate as a sign that the topic was closed. "Then I suspect this Op has less to do with her African interests and more to do with her time in counter-terrorism. In which case, this really _is_ need to know."


	4. Chapter 4

Within four days it was over.

He'd attended the meet the following day as instructed. His team in his ear for back up. He hadn't told his team the specifics of the role he was playing. As always in Jen's world, plausible deniability was key. All they knew was that the sale wasn't the end of their involvement.

It went off without a hitch - unless you count Kate's explosion when they'd let the weapons leave the warehouse. She didn't know there was a tracker. That there would be an FBI raid in a few days.

The following evening the Hamas cell made contact with Lisa. It turned out their head was someone Jenny and her partner at Mossad, Officer David, had been keeping tabs on since '03 but could never incriminate. He'd gone from medium fish to fish-of-significance in the intervening years.

He approached Lisa like an old friend. Gibbs and Jenny had been having breakfast at a beachfront cafe. The fifteen minute meeting consisted mainly of pleasantries. How was Lisa's younger sister. How was Kahlid's mother - was she still having issues with his uncle. Did Lisa keep in contact from the old scene - oh it was fine, he didn't either. Belfast was so…2003.

Then he offered to pay the bill. Jenny passed him the card easily, knowing he knew to look inside for the meet details.

Gibbs didn't need an earpiece to know Kate didn't like it. This was an entirely new way of working. Colouring outside the lines. Bending the rules without breaking them. Of the agents on his team, the only one he would suggest for deep cover Ops would be DiNozzo - but not for a few years yet. He needed to lose the cockiness first.

He'd relented and agreed to wear an earpiece and wire to the meeting. If only to shut Kate up. That didn't mean he'd looked forward to their reaction when the Op appeared to hit the fan.

DiNozzo had been apoplectic when Jen had given the signal to play it like Louisiana. When Jenny's Mossad partner, Officer David, waltzed into the warehouse and put a gun to the Hamas leader's head. When Gibbs took care of the other buyers while Jenny and Ziva black hooded and zip-tied their targets.

Word would get out that Hamas had hijacked the meet and stole the guns. The other buyers would wake up remembering nothing. No one would know. No loose ends.

Except him.

After following their extraction plan - three cars and two cross country flights later - Officer David was doubling back to a Mossad safe house to question the suspects, and he and Jenny were on a private jet back to DC.

They'd barely spoken since they'd boarded, each of them aware what had happened the last time they attempted to fly together.

Gibbs would have been lying if he said he didn't expect her to disappear in the crowds at the airport during their extraction. The fact she was still here...he didn't know how to deal with that.

What he'd forgotten in the intervening five years was that neither did Jenny.

It was a three hour flight. And they'd spent it reading case files, resolutely not looking at each other. Occasionally Jenny took or made a phone call. Most were in Arabic, which he could recognise but wasn't fluent.

When an alarm dinged to signal the beginning of their descent, Gibbs decided it was now or never. He couldn't let her walk away twice. Not without a fight. Somehow, he managed to keep his tone conversational, "When are you due back in Cairo?"

"I have a few meetings in DC tomorrow and Thursday." Jenny sighed, placing the file she was reading on the table between them. Gibbs recognised the men in the surveillance pictures. NCIS has been hunting them for months. "So I expect my flight will be Friday. Saturday at the latest."

Gibbs nodded once in acknowledgment. He didn't expect her to divulge that extra information. He hoped he wasn't imagining the hope in her voice when she toyed with the idea of a later flight, "You staying in Georgetown?"

"The serviced apartments out by that Thai place you hated." She let out a quiet chuckle as she shook her head, although he wasn't sure he got the joke. Giving nothing away, he raised an eyebrow in question. Still smiling, she explained, "Jethro I haven't stayed in the townhouse since we put our lives into storage before Paris. Anything I've needed Naomi sends on."

There was nothing he could say to that. Gibbs was aware that he wasn't a poster boy for materialism, but if you didn't need something for five years, odds were you didn't need it period.

The silence that was beginning to bloom again wasn't uncomfortable. It seemed like they just needed one of them to break it.

"I've missed you Jen."

Jenny didn't say anything at first, and Gibbs readied himself for the rejection he knew was coming. He didn't let himself tense. He sat there, studying her face, refusing to look hopeful or worried.

His cards were on the table. She could do with them as she wished.

Worst case scenario, he had a date with his boat and a lot of bourbon.

He was pleasantly surprised when he felt her place her hand over his on the table. He'd been so busy looking at her face for clues he hadn't noticed the subtle movement. He looked down as she slid her fingers between his clasped hand and linking her fingers with his.

Gibbs switched his gaze back to her, but she was focusing solely on their joined hands. After a long moment she admitted softly, "I...I didn't appreciate how lonely this life would be. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice."

"You're where you wanted to be." There was no malice in Gibbs' tone. Time had given him the space to understand her actions, even if he didn't agree with them.

Divorce number three had taught him a lot about what he was able to give emotionally. He couldn't have supported her career or a long distance relationship back then. He could admit that now.

Jenny shook her head and Gibbs frowned. She was at the top of her game. She was successful. Respected. It's what he thought she'd wanted. "I'm where twenty four year old me wanted to be. Thirty five year old me has some regrets."

Gibbs shifted so that his other hand cupped around hers. He didn't know where this was going, but he wanted to make his position clear.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm under no illusions." Jenny smiled sadly as she finally met his gaze. She offered a half shrug as she continued, "We wouldn't have had kids. I might have become ex-wife number three. I'd have probably left NCIS and used my degree with the NSA. But right now I'd be happy with bourbon in the basement and a German Shepard called Sandy."

Gibbs was suddenly blindsided by a memory he'd almost forgotten. He'd been on a course. And when he'd come back to the bullpen Probie Jenny had been sitting on the floor surrounded by German Shepherd puppies. The newest recruits. When he'd glared, she'd picked two up and stood toe to toe with him, giving him a three way pout.

He was drawn out of his memory by the way she tightened her grip on his hand. She was avoiding his gaze again and he didn't know why.

"And...I'd have probably made you patch things up with your dad. Because I'd have grown a pair and asked you why you kept screaming Kelly in your sleep instead of looking up your file when I got to London."

Gibbs felt the air escape from his chest in the same way as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. It was always the same when someone mentioned his daughter.

And then he realised.

 _Jenny_ had mentioned his daughter.

"You read my file?" His words came out harsher than he intended. Too used to throwing up the walls. Scaring people away until they didn't dream of asking...

"And now I know why you hate apologies." Jenny's words were soft, and she started running her thumb over his clenched knuckles. "I figured I should at least be honest with you about what I know."

He wanted to be angry with her for prying. Wanted to put his past back in the box where he could guard it fiercely. Where no one could touch his memories.

But if she'd known since London….

She'd known in the bar.

She'd known in the hotel room.

She'd known during the op.

And she hadn't been different. She was still Jenny.

If knowing made a difference, it wasn't to the way she treated him.

"If I'd told you, before," The words came out more than a little strangled. Pleading. The question was clear.

 _Would it have made you stay?_

"I don't know. But this version of me - she's willing to try."

She didn't hesitate. She looked him in the eye. Made sure he could see the lack of twitch.

That was good enough for him.


	5. Chapter 5

**There might be an epilogue...but I'm not committing to anything!**

 _-NCIS-_

Gibbs had been back at his desk less than three minutes when his cell dinged.

His mood was relatively cheerful. DiNozzo had been throwing him funny looks all day.

After they'd landed, a security detail was waiting to take Jenny to her apartment. She'd looked confused but accepted the offer, shooting Gibbs a look of apology as she headed to the SUV. He'd politely declined their offer to drop him off - he'd wanted to talk to Ducky before going any further, and the Scotsman had already offered to pick them up.

He told Ducky everything on the drive back to his place. Confirming Ducky's suspicions and filling in the blanks about Paris. He told him about Shannon and Kelly and what really went wrong with his marriages. Why Diane was so keen to have a child after they divorced. Why Stephanie came home from Russia alone.

To say his friend was shocked would be an understatement. But after some reflection, he concluded it all made sense.

 _Incredibly sad sense. But sense nonetheless._ Was how he'd phrased it.

Surprisingly, Gibbs felt lighter after their talk. Drained, yes. But lighter. And that was nothing compared to the conversation that had to follow.

It took three hours for him to turn up at Jenny's apartment. Judging by her face when she'd opened the door, she'd expected him to run away. When he'd dangled a bag of take out from her favourite French place, it seemed like he'd been forgiven.

They'd talked most of the night - a novelty for them both. They both knew that it was a one off. That once the sun rose, the opportunity would be gone. They'd unlikely be this open with each other again.

Some things only needed to be said once.

She'd told him about her father. Her suspicions about his death. Why she'd deviated from the path she'd been put on since high school - a masters in communications, a bachelors in politics, linguistics and French, job offers from the alphabet agencies and a few universities - to join NCIS. Because she'd have more opportunity to forge her own path and take the opportunities. Because the competition was low and the Navy didn't know her.

She didn't divulge whether she'd given up the hunt. He didn't ask. He knew firsthand that sometimes, the price is one you'd be willing to pay.

Before, they'd fallen into bed at every opportunity.

Last night, they'd fallen asleep on the sofa. _Cuddling_. Only to be awoken by one of her security detail - Stan - discreetly knocking on the door to let them know that she needed to leave in twenty minutes.

He was still better with actions than words. And he was looking forward to the opportunity later that evening to _show_ her how he felt. That he meant what he'd said. The closest he'd gotten so far was a lingering kiss before he'd left her apartment.

His cell dinged again, pulling him out of her reverie. Pulling it from inside his suit, he flipped it open. Both messages were from Jenny.

The second prompted a smirk. _Jethro. I can see you ignoring your cell._

Opening the first, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Conference room. Now._

Looking up, he saw her standing on the catwalk. Grey pantsuit. Pink heels. He couldn't read her body language which suggested she was in business mode, but he could see the slight tap of her heel against the metal railing. That meant she was trying to contain...something.

He made a slight incline of his head before standing, ignoring the question DiNozzo threw after him. They had a case as soon as he came in this morning. McGee and Kate were still in the field and he was meant to be interviewing the deceased's boss.

It could wait.

She was already in the elevator when he reached it. She was standing in the back corner, arms folded, one foot resting against the wall. She seemed oddly detached, which set off alarm bells. He couldn't decide if this was a personal or professional call.

She didn't move as he entered, nor when he pulled the emergency stop. Matching her stance, Gibbs folded his arms and leant against the opposite wall. "Should I be worried?"

"I'm going to be in DC for the next two weeks." Jenny unfolded her arms and reached down to grab the rail. Her voice was even, conversational, completely at odds with her white knuckle grip on the metal. "The Cairo job has just had a title upgrade. 'Assistant director - African operations'. Not that it's going to make a difference to me."

"If he fired you-" Gibbs cut her off before she could continue, his temper flaring. The op was seamless. There was no reason to fire her. There was no reason for her to quit either. What she was saying didn't make sense.

To his surprise, she laughed. "No. _No_. He didn't fire me." She took a moment to compose her next words, before she looked back at him and dropped her mask. Her eyes shone with barely contained excitement. The smile on her lips was genuine. "What I'm about to tell you goes no further. I just...I had to tell someone who actually cares about me."

"Jen what the he-" Gibbs was officially confused now. He'd take her comment about being someone who cared about her. Being her person to tell meant more to him than she'd know. But he needed to know what the hell was going on. Right now.

"Morrow is two and a half months into his six month notice period. In four months I'll be the director of NCIS." Gibbs is sure that, if she had been that kind of girl, Jenny would have squealed at the end of that statement. As it was, he could see the bounce she was trying to hide.

"Vance got the LA job because it needs someone in position for four years. Turns out we were both interviewing for the Director's chair and the other one got LA." She shook her head in disbelief, for once allowing herself to enjoy the moment. "I have six weeks to tie up my Ops in Cairo, agree a replacement and start the handover. Then it's into prepping for Day 1. The interim job title is just a formality."

Gibbs blew out a heavy breath. He was impressed. Pride was his dominant emotion, but it was warring with the conflict taking place in his heart.

DC was a lot closer than Cairo. DC was a lot _safer_ than Cairo.

But DC also made her his boss. DC opened them up for speculation and accusations of favouritism.

He'd support her without question. But did she really want an agent as her date to all those fancy dinners. How would it look when the other directors brought their stay at home wives, art director girlfriends and neurosurgeon childhood sweethearts, and she brought the ex-Marine.

She'd be under enough scrutiny as it was without adding their relationship to the mix. "What are you asking me Jen? Am I signing the disclosure paperwork or would you rather I backed off?"

She was clearly in the good mood. Instead of snapping at him for being presumptuous, she rolled her eyes and pulled a file out of her purse. She held it out to him as she answered, "I was actually going to ask you to join my team."

Gibbs took the file and flipped it open. The bright red, bold font across the front page screamed Top Secret. The second page was headed '100 Day Plan - Stakeholders'

As he began to scan the pages, Jenny continued, "I'm leaving the other choice to you. I won't say I'm done making choices for you, as your boss it will happen, but I need to give you the opportunity to have some input in this one."

He didn't respond, just purposely flipped a page and raised an eyebrow. That elicited another eyeroll. "I'll be the youngest director of NCIS. I'll be the first woman. There _will_ _be_ a spotlight on us if you decide you're up for this. But whatever you decide...that doesn't change the fact that you'd be an asset to my team."

Another pointed page flip. "You do remember that I prefer to shoot politicians than play nice with them?"

"You think I don't know that?" Jenny laughed and moved to stand beside him. She flipped to a page towards the end titled 'Timeline' and pointed to the detail, "I'll only take you away from the field for the last four weeks of prep and the first week of my directorship. The rest we can work around. I want you to be the voice of reason, represent the boots on the ground. I know plenty of politicians and career agents that will jump at the chance. _But I want you in my corner._ I can't give you a declaration right now. I can't give you back what you lost and I won't try to replace it. But I can admit that I want you up there with m-"

He didn't think twice about cutting her off with a kiss. It wasn't a declaration. But he'd take it.

Pulling back slightly, he murmured, "You don't have to be what I lost."

Jenny made a noise of agreement as she wound her arms around his neck. As he leant back in, he stopped shy of her lips before he whispered, "Pass me the relationship disclosure paperwork. I know it's in your purse. Got to tie you down before you change your mind."

He laughed when he felt her hand connect with the back of his head. If this was his new normal, he'd definitely take it.


End file.
